Demand for trucks is booming in developing economies. And that was great news last year for this Columbus, Ind., manufacturer of natural gas and diesel truck engines that power
everything from heavy-duty trucks to RVs to pickups. During the fourth quarter, its sales in Brazil grew more than 30% vs. a year earlier while sales in China shot up 92%.

Cummins passed on some of the profits to shareholders by raising its dividend and repurchasing $241 million in stock.